A new series of tours aimed at elementary school kids will introduce them to the technology that powered the steel industry during its 20th century heyday.

"Kids at Carrie" will be held from 1:30 to 3 p.m. June 26, July 31 and Aug. 21 at the Carrie Furnaces National Historic Landmark site, located in Swissvale near the Rankin Bridge. Advance registration is encouraged.

Ron Baraff of the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area, which maintains the site, said the tours are designed to be short, kid-friendly, and interactive.

Route 30 in East Pittsburgh will be closed this weekend so that workers can put a top coat of latex paving on a new bridge.

Beginning at 9 p.m. Friday, the bridge that carries Route 30 over Bessemer Avenue between Center Street and Clyde Avenue, will close to traffic in both directions continuously through 6 a.m. Monday, said a district spokesman for the state Department of Transporation.

Crews will be repaving part of Route 885 between CCAC South Campus and Ravensburg Boulevard in Clairton, beginning next week.

A district spokesman for the state Department of Transportation said that parts of the road will be restricted to single, alternating lanes of traffic, weather permitting, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays. Weekend work between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. is also possible.

Flaggers will assist motorists through the work zone.

The project includes milling and paving, concrete pavement patching, base repairs, guide rail updates, shoulder work, signal improvements and line painting activities. Work will conclude in late July. Lindy Paving Inc. is the prime contractor.

Residents of 45 municipalities --- including many in the Mon-Yough area --- can acquire vacant lots and structures in their neighborhoods through Allegheny County's Vacant Property Recovery Program.

The application period has opened for the 2016 Side Yard and Blighted Structure program, which allows people to purchase abandoned properties at a substantial discount, a county spokeswoman said. Applications must be received by Aug. 31.

Carnegie Library of McKeesport will participate in "World Wide Knit in Public Day," an annual event started in 2005 and designed to encourage people who knit or crochet to meet other hobbyists.

The library's event will be held on the main lawn at 1507 Library Ave., weather permitting, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday (June 18), a spokeswoman said. Everyone is invited and the event is free.

A picnic lunch will be served, but registration is requested at (412) 672-0625.

Created by Missouri hobbyist and clothing maker Danielle Landes, there were only 25 local knitting events on the first "World Wide Knit in Public Day." There are now hundreds of events in the United States and more than 50 other countries, including Australia, China, England, Finland, France, Ireland, Norway, South Africa and Sweden.

Twenty-nine basketball mini-camps will be held this summer in locations around Allegheny County, including in McKeesport, Braddock, Clairton, East Pittsburgh, Homestead, Rankin and Wilmerding, a spokesman said.

The "Hometown Hoops" mini-camps are free and open to ages 9-18, and participants may attend as many mini-camps as they like. The camps are run by the Allegheny County Parks Department.

Both boys and girls may participate. Students will learn basketball skills from local coaches and players with experience in the NBA, NCAA and WPIAL. Hours are 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and organizers are strongly recommending advance registration.

Photo: Joanne Dorazio and Kathy Ryan, two of the three co-chairs for the Corpus Christi Parish Festival, sample some of the foods that will be served at the parish social hall from June 23 to 25. Michael Mattis is also a co-chair.

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An annual summer celebration featuring entertainment, homemade ethnic food, and games returns to Market Street as Corpus Christi Parish holds its festival June 23 to 25 at the church's social hall, 803 Market St., Downtown.

Hours are 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 5:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday.

Live music will be provided each night, including Glitzando from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, the Soul Searchers from 7:30 to 10 p.m. Friday, and the Majestics2 from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday.

The McKeesport Regional History and Heritage Center will host it's next Summer Speaker Series program at 2 p.m. June 18.

The film "Silent Tales from Richland Cemetery" will be shown, highlighting some of the historical figures buried there, and members of the Dravosburg Community Archives will be available to discuss the film, which was directed by Smith Laure and written by Pamela Palongue, Beth Rohach and Robert Scott.

The program is free for members of the center and $2 for non-members, and the public is welcome. The McKeesport Regional History and Heritage Center is located at 1832 Arboretum Drive in Renziehausen Park. For more information, call (412) 678-1832 or visit the center's website.

McKeesport officials made what Auditor General Eugene DePasquale called a "costly pension mistake" when they spent more than $729,000 in state pension aid on general operating expenses, instead of depositing it into employee retirement funds.

Although the auditor general made no allegations of intentional wrongdoing, DePasquale said on Thursday the error does put future state contributions to city pension plans into jeopardy until the problem is fixed.

And the mistake only exacerbated a $2.3 million shortfall in four different pension funds covering 164 employees who have retired from McKeesport's police, fire, public works and administrative departments.

City officials acknowledged the problem and will make amends, McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko said.